Game



Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

construction herein shown and described parts:

air

isle-An .oTToJ. nonnnn, or .oHIoAGoJLLInoIs..

GAME.

Application file dJAugust 24, 1925; Serial No. 52,240-

My invention relates to games ularly to games involving skill.

The object of the invention is broadly to and pal-"tic provide an improved amusement device which is relatively simple in construction.

In one embodiment of the invention, manually operable means is provided for pro pel-l-mg a ball through anarcuate path which is disposed in a vertical plane in SHCll'HliIIlIlBI that the balls may drop into values have been assigned.

' Many other objects and advantages of the will be obvious in those skilled in theart from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and" com-- bination of parts herein shown anddescribed; and more particularly pointed out in thc-c-laims.

"In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding Fig. 1 isa front elevation of apparatus embodying the invention;

1 I Fig. 2 is a vertical section looking from the rear of the improved apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a sectlon taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. dis a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of- Feigg2;

F 6 is a section taken on 'line 6 6 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 7 is a section takenon line 7-7 of Fig.6;and r Fig. 8 is a section takenon line 88 of Fig. 2, a slide forming part of theapparatus being shown in a changed position, In the drawings I have shown a. preferred embodiment of the invention as it is em-.

ployed in connection with dispensing-apparatus but my inventionis limited to this use only to the extent defined in the appended claims.

' Referring to the drawings, 10 is a'cabinet comprising a bottom wall 11, side walls 12 and 13, a top wall 14 and a removable rear panel 15. The front of the cabinet 10 is preferably closed by a glass panel 17 and by a corner plate 18. Disposed intermediate the. glasspanel 17 and-the rear panel is a plate 20, which preferably extends from the bottom wall 11 to the top wall 14 and- 1 from the side wall 12 to the side wall'13,

pockets to which the plate 20 being secured to these walls in The. space within the.

any suitable manner. cabinet 10 tothe rear'of the plate 20 is divided into two chambers 21 and'22 by a shelf 23. Secured to the outer-edge of the shelf-23 is a vertically disposed boa-rd 24. which, together with the shelf 28 and the plate 20, forms a pocket '25 adapted-to hold a supply of articles 26 which are-to be vended. Disposed in an .65. opening 27 provided in the shelf 23 is a U-shaped member 28" carried atthe upper end o'fa lever'29 which manner hereafter described, the u shaped member 28 agitates the articles 26- and permits one of the articles to pass through it into'a pocket 33 formed in the slide, a guide 34 being interposed between the .U-shaped 7 member 28 and the slide,

The'top wvall 14 is provided witha slot 36 through which a coin or token maybeinserted in the cabinet- 10. Secured to the I 7 rear sur face of the plate' 2O and aligned with the'slot 36 is a chute 37 which has its lower endaligned'with a shallow groove38 formed upon the inner surface of the slide 31.

is a notch 39 providing a shoulder 40 engageable by a dog 41, the dog 41'bein'gpivotally-secured' bya screw 42 to the rear surface of the p'late'20. tension spring 41 yieldingly urges the free end ofthe'dog 4:1jagainst the slide 31. The groove 38 and the dog 41 are so proportioned tha-tifa coin or'token of a predetermined size is droppedthrough the chute 37fit will 'COIIlG-tOIGStlIl the groove 38 and will be prevented frompassing therethrough by the dog. If the slide '31 is moved to the right (Fig.2), the coin .or

token will' serve as a cam and raise the dog 4-1 out of the path of the shoulder 40 so that the pocket-'33 may be brought into alignment with an aperture 42 formed in the Formediin the upper" surface of the slide'3'1 Y plate 20. This'movementof the slide 31 and the resulting movement of the dog' ilper mits the coinor token to drop through the groove 38.- The aperture 42 is aligned with a discharge aperture 43 formed in thecorner' plate 18, a pocket 44 being formed 'on the is ()lltOfSldG of the corner plate .18 into which,

the articles 26' may fall when they pass fright (Fig.2)

through the discharge aperture 43.

viously, the purchaser may remove thevended articles from the pocket 44.

' The means for moving the slide 31 to the comprises a lever 45 pivotally secured by a' screw 46 to the rear surface of the plate 20. One end of the lever 45 projects throughjthe wall 12, as indicated at 47,

and the other end :cam track thereof is providedwith a [48 engageable with a slot 49 formed in the slide. The cam track 48 is so designed that when the outer end 47 of the lever 45 is depressed into the position wherein it is shown'in dotted lines in Fig. ,2, the

slide will bemoved to thejposition wherein i it is shown indotted lines in the saine figure.

This dotted lineposition of the slide 31 is the position wherein its pocket 33 registers with the aperture42formed in the plate 20.

dog

Means, for retracting the slide 31 "and the lever 45 ;-,:co1nprises a plurality of tension L springs 3 1-, one end of each spring 31? being secured tothe spring 31 and the other end thereof being'secured to a screw 31" projecting from the rear surface of the plate 20.

Formed on thefront surface of the plate is a substantially arcuate track51, one

end of which terminates in a substantially straight track 52 and the other end of :which terminates in a pocket 53 formed upon the i front surface of the. plate 20 (Fig; 7).

j Formed in the plate and registering with the lower end of the pocket '53-is'an aperture'55 -with which a pocket 57 formed in the slide 31,registers when the slide is in the position wherein it isshownoin full lines in Figs; 2' and .When the slide 31 is brought into the V I position wherein it is shown in dotted lines g employed to play a game which resembles in-Fig; 2, the pocket 57 vregisters with an aperture 58 formed in the plate'QO. The ar- 'ran'g'ein'ent' issuoh that balls 60 0f wood or any-othersuitable material may be fed from the pocket 53 to the substantially straight 'track' 552; 'Tlius,*when the slide 311 is in the position wherein itis shownin full lines in Figs, 2 and 4,'on'e-of a pluralityof balls 60 disposed in the .;pocket 53 may gravitate through the aperture 55into the pocket 57. V j Then when'the slide is moved to the position: v whereinit is shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2,

the ball will gravitate from the pocket 57 through the aperture 58 onto the track 52., m'emberl61 is preferably provided for ,guidingthe balls 60 through the aperture 55. Associated,wit-h the substantiallystraight track 52 is a hammer member 63 which mayv be constructed of wood'or any other suitable material. cured to the free end of a lever 64 which is pivotally secured by ascrew 65 to the plate The hammer member 63 is se- 20. Springs66 normally hold the lever 64 I The lever 64 is provided with an extension 67 which projects through a slot 68 formed in the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 7. v

in the side wall 12.. lVhen one of the balls 7 60flis fed onto the track 52 by way of the aperture 58,,the lever 64 may "be; manually V displaced against the action of the springs 66 and then released to cause the hammer member 63 to propel the ball around the arcuate track 51. If the ball 60 is propelled with sufiicient force, itwill roll along the entire length of. the arcuate track 51 and fall into the pocket 53. If the ball 60 isnot propelled with sufficient force to cause itto roll along the entire length of the arcuate'track '51, it will fall from some point upper portion of the track 51. Disposed V St) along the within the arcuate track51 andformed upon I V thefront side of the plateQOare a plurality of spaced pockets 7 0, 71,791 and 73. When the ball 60 falls from the upper portion of the track 51 it may be caught by any one of r the pocl ets-70,'71, 72 and 73, orrit may fallbetween these pockets into the pocket 53. The lower ends of the pockets 70, 71, 7 2 and 73 arenormally closed by pins 75 projecting from a bar 76, which is slidably journaled in back of the plate 20, the pins 75 projecting through slots 77 formed in the plate 20. A

spring 79 yieldingly holdsthe bar 76 in a position wherein the pins 75 close the lower ends of thepockets 70, 71, 72and 73. One 7 end of the bar ,76 projects through the side wall 13 sothat it may bemanually displaced against the action of the spring 79 to bring the pins 75 out of the positions wherein they close the lower ends of the pockets. Ob

'viously, when a ball 60 falls into one of the pockets 70, 71, 72 and 73, it is retained there'- action of the spring 79.

The above described in until the bar,7 6 is displaced against the a naratus ma be hit, or a liomerun, respectively. If the ball 60 passes between the pockets 70, 71 7.2 and 73, or falls through the arcuate trackr5l into the track 53, the player may be said f 7 It will bereadily I to have madev a fstrilze. u'nderstoochthat two or more 1 players can i play a game'consisting of nine or any. other I number of ll'llllIlgS; VVhen theball 60 falls into one of the pockets70, 71, 72 and 73, V

it is retained therein until its" position has I 73 J been noted andthe bar76 has been actuated to bring the pins75 out of the positions wherein they close the lower ends of the pockets. v

The operation of the above described apparatus is substantially as follows: A coin or token is inserted in the slot 36and falls into the shallow groove 38. The lever is then brought into the position wherein it is shown in dotted lines in Fig.2 and one or the articles 26 passes from the pocket 33 through the aperture 42 into the pocket 44. At the same time one of the balls 60 passes from the pocket 57 through the aperture 5S onto the track 52. The player then angularly displaces the lever (S lt-against the action of the springs 66 any desired dis.- tance. The lever '64 is then releasedpvhereupon .the ball 60 is driven around the track 5l and either falls into one of the pockets 70, 71,.72 and 73 or falls between these pockets into the pocket I If the ball rethird-base hit, or a homerun. I then returned to the pocket 53by displac pocket 57.

turns immediately to the pocket 53, a strike is called against the player. 'If the'ball drops into anyone of the pockets 70, 71, 72 and 73, the player is credited with either a-first-base hit, a'second-base hit, a The'ball is ing the bar 76 in the manner above described. The slide 31 is retracted to, its normal position by the springs 31 When the slide 81 has returned to its normal position, another article 26 falls into the pocket 33 and another ball 60 falls into the The next player maythen op erate the mechanism. 3

In the preferred embodiment of the invention I provide four balls 60 of different colors as indicated in Fig. 6. Each of the pockets 70, 7'1, 72 and 73 is colored to correspond to one of the balls 60 as indicated in Fig. 1. The players then attempt-to dropeach ball 60 in that pocket which-corresponds to'it in color. This requires considerable skill. Obviously; arbitrary Values may be assig'ned'to the several pockets 70, 71, 72 and 73 so that if a player drops a ballin the proper pocket he is credited with a certain-score. It the player succeeds in dropping all of the balls in their proper pockets he will receive a score equal to the sum of the values assigned to the several pockets together with an added arbitrary value. a

It is to be distinctly understood that apparatus comprising the above described game can be used'apart from the dispensing mechanism as it does not form an essential obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spiritof my invention;

hence I do not wish to'be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses amentioned. I i

The term horizontal portions? as employed in my claims is intended to include a track having a portion which is inclined to the horizontalso that the ball will roll into a position where it may be struck by the hammer.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kinddescribed', an

arcuate track disposed inf-a substantially vertical" plane,' means for propelling a ball along the track, a plurality of spaced pockets for catching the ball when it drops from plurality of pockets and adapted to catch the ball when it falls between said plurality of pockets, said lower pocket beingadapted to hold a plurality of balls, and. means ill-j eluding a sliderfor feeding the ball from said lower pocket to said propelling means.

3. In a device of the kind described, an arcuate track disposed in a substantially vertical plane, spring-actuated means for propelling'a ballalong the track, a plurality of spaced pockets for catching the ball when it drops from the track, a pocket .dis posed below saidplurality ofpockets for catching the ball when it passes between said plurality of pockets, said lower pocket being adapted to hold a plurality of balls, means for retaining the ball in said plurality of pockets, means for causing the lastmentioned means to release said ball, and means for feeding the ball from said lower pocket to said propelling means.

a. In a device of the kind described,- a

track disposed in a substantially vertical plane, aplurality, of differently colored balls, means for propelling. the balls along I the track, a plurality of-space'd differently, colored pockets for catching the balls when they drop from tlie'track, the pockets being colored to. correspond to the balls, apocket disposedbelow said plurality of pockets and; adapted-to catch the balls when they fall 1 betweenjsaid plurality ofpoekets, and means 7 forieeding the balls one by one from said lower poci'iet-to said propelling means. 7

11.11 a device of the kind described, a. track disposed in a substantially vertical plane; a plurality of, differently colored balls,

I means-for propelling the balls along-the i pelling means.

track, aplurality of spaced differently colored pockets for catching the balls when they drop from the track, the pockets being colored to correspond to the ballsfa pocket disposed below said plurality of pockets and adapted to catch the balls when they fall be. tween said pluralityoi poclzetaand means including a slide for feeding the balls one by one'i'roni said lower pocket to saidpro- V 6. In a dev ce ofthe kind described, an

'arcuate track disposedin a substantially vertical plane, a plurality of differently colored ballsy spring-actuated meansforvpio epelling the balls along the track,- a pluralityo-f spaced differently colored pockets for catching the balls when they drop from the track, the pockets being colored to cor- W 7 respond to the balls; a pocket disposed belowsaid plurality of pockets and adapted to V I catch theballs when they fall between said plurality of pockets, and means for feeding .theballs: one by one from-said lower pocket to said propelling means. i i

7. In a device of the kind described, a

track disposed in a substantially vertical plane, a plurality of differently colored balls,

' meansfor propelling the balls, along the track, a plurality 7 of differently coloredspaced pockets for catching the balls when they drop from the't-rack, a pocket disposed "beneath said plurality of pockets and 1 adapted to catch the ballswhen they fall, between said pluralityof pockets, said lower jpoifketbeing'. adapted to hold a p-luralityof "balls, and means iorifeeding the balls one by one from said lower. pocket to saidpro-g pelhng means.

S. In a device of the l zind'describe'd, an arcuateftrack disposed in a substantially vertical plane and commencing with a substantially horizontal .track portion, means ,In testimony whereof, I'have for pre area ball along "said track. said means being disposed in proximity to the horizontal portion of the traelga plurality of spaced means engageable by the balllwhen it falls from the track,' a pocket disposed be low said plurality of means and positioned above the said horizontaltrack portion, said pocket arranged to receive theball each time it falls between or to one side of said pluralityof means, and means for feeding the ball from the pocket to the horizontal track where it is engageable by said propelling means. v

9. In a deviceof' the-kind described, an

vertical plane, means for propelling'a ball along said track, said means beingassociated with the trackat thelower extremity thereof, a plurality or spaced means engageable by the ball when it falls frointhe track, a pocket of inclined, formation disposed'between said plurality of means and above the lower extremity of the track and arranged toreiieive the-ball each tune it falls between or to one side of said plurality of means, and

means for permitting the, ball to be fed from said inclined pocket outwardly to'the lower extremity of the track for engagement with said propelling means. I

10. In a device of the kind desc'ribed,,an arcuate track disposed in a substantially vertical plane and commencing with substantially horizontal trackv portion, propelling means operative-ly associated with the said track extremity for propelling the ball over the horizontal track portion and thence the; arcuate track portionfa plurality of (V OTTO J.'DOERRE.

arcuate track disposed in a substantially I r 

